Massive Teahupo‘o in Tahiti, such as was seen at the recent Billabong Pro Tahiti, has precipitated many close

calls among surfers over the years. Photo courtesy ASP

Throughout surfing’s history, some of the world’s best
big-wave surfers have tragically lost their lives in the ocean while
following their passion for huge surf. Others have been more fortunate,
coming within seconds of drowning at some of surfing’s deadliest waves.
We take a look at some of the close calls of professional surfers who
looked death in the eye and lived to tell the tale.

Maya Gabeira is brought back to life at Nazare
It was probably one of the most publicized wipeouts of this century.
When Brazilian big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira wiped out at the base of a
70-foot wave at Portugal’s Nazare, her chances of survival looked slim.
She had broken her ankle in the fall, her lifejacket came off, and
although near shore, she was unable to get out of the treacherous
waters. The first attempt to rescue her by her tow partner, Carlos
Burle, failed, and she was unconscious and face down in the water by the
time he made a successful second attempt. On shore, Burle gave her CPR,
brought her back to life, and she was rushed to hospital and released
24 hours later. “I was throwing up. I mean, it took a long time in my
brain to come back,” Gabeira told Stabmag.com. “I opened my eyes but as
soon as I did I kinda knew where I was. I could tell I had just
drowned.”

Shane Dorian’s close call at Mavericks(not pictured)
Mavericks is known as one of the most deadly waves in the world, having
claimed the lives of legendary Hawaiian big-wave surfers Mark Foo in
1994 and Sion Milosky in 2011. In 2010, Shane Dorian was seconds away
from also joining the afterworld, suffering a two-wave hold-down the
very first time he surfed the Californian wave. “That wipeout is still
the heaviest surf experience I have had,” Dorian told GrindTV. “I was
already beginning to run out of air when the second wave hit me. That
forced me down again, and I thought I was going to drown. I was sure
that was it.” Eventually Dorian surfaced, but the legacy of his close
call lives on. After that wipeout Dorian devised the inflatable life
jacket, which has been responsible for improved safety and even bigger
waves being ridden.

Tamayo Perry’s axe wound at Pipeline
Since Hawaii’s Pipeline was first surfed in the 1960s, it has been
universally known as one of the most dangerous waves in the world. Seven
surfers have died at the break and many more have suffered serious
injuries. Once such surfer was Tamayo Perry, a local Hawaiian who was
known as one of the best surfers there. In 2005 he was struck by another
surfer’s board, the fin lodging in his head. “I felt a searing pain as I
was being rolled and bashed against the reef,” Perry told GrindTV. “I
came to and put my hand to my head. I could just feel all soft matter
and my hand could fit in the gash. I felt like an axe wound. I swear
blood and brain was oozing out of my skull.” Perry somehow managed to
drag himself to shore, where fortunately a trauma doctor happened to be
on the beach; he stabilized the blood flow and saved Perry’s life.

Ken “Skindog” Collins is done at Jaws
Jaws on the island of Maui has, without a doubt, the biggest rideable
waves on the planet. As such, the consequences of falling here are
enormous. On his first surf there in 2009, Ken “Skindog” Collins found
this out the hard way. After coming off at the bottom of a 70-foot wave,
he was thrown over the falls, suffered a huge hold down and then copped
the next wave on the head. “I pulled my ACL, hyperextended my neck and
hip, and tweaked my back,” said Skindog in the clip below. It wasn’t
finished yet, though. As he was being rescued by a Jet Ski, a third wave
broke, taking Skindog, the driver, and the Jet Ski, with the ski being
deposited on the rocks. “At that stage I was like, ‘I’m done,’” said
Collins. “I’m never surfing big waves again. Heck, I’m never going in
the ocean again.”

Jordy
Smith wasn’t the only surfer to feel the wrath of Teahupoo in this
year’s Billabong Pro. Here, Bede Durbidge

comes unstuck. Photo ASP

Jordy Smith’s recent near death experience at Teahupoo
Teahupoo is rightfully known as the scariest wave on the planet. It is
perhaps surprising that it has only claimed one life, local surfer
Briece Taerea, who died after being slammed in to the reef in 2000. This
year in the trials event for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, Kevin Bourez,
younger brother of world title hopeful Michel Bourez, suffered a
fractured skull and multiple lacerations after a wipeout. Then in the
event proper, South African Jordy Smith suffered an experience that he
described as the worst of his life. Talking to the ASP after being hit
by a 10-foot wave after a fall, Smith said, “I’m just happy to be alive.
Nothing else matters right now, as for a moment I thought it was all
over. It was easily the most scared I have ever been in the ocean.”